Your Consumer Health: Recycling efforts vary around the world (copy)

When recently discussing the misunderstandings about recycling I concluded by suggesting that voluntary consumer compliance is always preferable to avoid government action requiring participation. It is always better to get consumers behind and supporting any policy that makes sense, contributes to a cleaner environment, and which helps us achieve carbon neutral status.

But consumers should understand that mandatory rules, laws, and regulations are appearing in countries worldwide while some have had institutional recycling in effect for years.

Scotland is one of the most recent countries to invoke strict recycling laws including a legal ban of plastic plates, cups, straws, cutlery and takeaway boxes. Of course, the resulting question is what will be used to replace these items and just how recyclable will that material be?

Older readers of this column are likely to remember using paper plates, cups and straws, as well as wooden knives and forks. Whether we face a return to biodegradable wood is an open question.

With Scotland getting so serious so quickly, this raises some interest in asking: what exactly is the status of recycling around the world? Which countries are doing the best job of recycling and where does the U.S. fall within this group given that recycling here is not a federal government initiative? We rely primarily on state and local regulation of this increasingly important issue.

Without question, Germany is easily regarded as the top country for recycling in the world by virtue of achieving a nearly 70 percent recycle share of all waste produced. Government officials hold companies responsible for producing recyclable packaging as well as imposing strict rules on consumers who must separate waste into five individual bins. Additionally, in 2003 the governing party at the time enacted a “Pfand” (deposit) on bottles, jars and all cans, which is refunded when the recyclable item is returned to a collection point.

South Korea is the top-ranking country in Asia when gauging recycling efforts; prior to 2020 it was listed as the only non-European country among the five highest rated nations. Canada has generally strong recycling laws but the city of Vancouver can be classified as aggressive in controlling this problem. The city absolutely prohibits all food scraps from traditional waste bins requiring this material be placed in separate compost containers. Stiff enforcement includes fines for those who do not comply.

By imposing this requirement, compostable material is disposed of properly, releasing less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Also among those countries that have well-established recycling programs are Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Singapore, Sweden and Norway.

Overall, the United States falls squarely in the middle range of those countries that have instituted recycling efforts, with Oregon being the first state to enact a 1971 law that was aimed at collecting soft drink and beer containers. New Jersey, California, and Colorado have also begun programs that are ahead of other states in controlling recyclable waste.

The State of Washington implemented a statewide plan in 1991 to increase recycling rates to 50 percent before 1995. While it took a few years longer to achieve this goal, 85 percent of all Washingtonians participate in curbside recycling. The government effort focused not only on rules and regulations but also a heavy dose of education as to the benefits of recycling and the state requirements imposed on consumers in order to reach compliance.

Maine is engaged in a program that very much mirrors that of Washington but has not yet achieved the stated goal of 50 percent recycled city waste. However, state education efforts include educating citizens about the value of buying and using products made of recyclable materials — something that sets Maine apart from other states.

Among developed countries the U.S. is a leading producer of solid waste that is sent to landfills. But it has recycling programs that pale in comparison to other countries worldwide. There is no question that recycling in the United States is a state and local matter, and rightly so because these are the governments that best know their individual capabilities and needs.

However, a certain amount of blame can be assigned to consumer apathy as well as a lack of political will in those cities and states that refuse to wholeheartedly engage in the recycling process. The countries discussed above have demonstrated that recycling goals can be achieved by punishing those who produce too much waste and do not willingly recycle. As I mentioned previously, the U.S. may have to follow a similar approach.

Update: In the last article I strongly recommended glass recycling even though in many cities and towns, including Greenville, the consumer must take the glass to a designated collection point. I failed to mention that all jar lids, caps and wine bottle corks should be removed and placed in the landfill trash bin since they cannot be recycled with glass. Failure to do this slows down the glass sorting process.